Category Archives: Baking

Better Late Than Never

Posted on by
Reply

Dearest Boo,  once again I am late with my thoughts.  Your Uncle Mike’s birthday was ten days ago.  I did remember the date and I did get his gift to him in time, but I wanted to post this idea sooner.  It was a fun gift and I am sure that I enjoyed making the gift more than he did receiving the gift.  Fun, fun, fun for me!

“A friend is a brother who was once a bother.  ~Author Unknown”.  This sure does fit your Uncle Mike.  What a pain little brothers are and then I grew up and discovered what a charming young man he grew up to be.  Life was never dull when he was around and usually up to his antics.

Michael is a given name that comes from the Hebrew: (Mikha’el), meaning “Who is like God?” In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, or, especially in Ireland, Mick.  Michael was a popular name among many royal houses of Europe for centuries; this was also the name of nine Byzantine emperors and a czar of Russia.  It has been in the top ten list since 1954 of the most popular names for boys.

Some notable Michaels – Michael is one of the Archangels, however, your Uncle Mike was not an angel.  Okay,  maybe when he was a wee baby he was an angel.  I remember that he had a horrible case of eczema all over his sweet little face.  His little cheeks were just so red and raw and so blistering and cracking.  It just hurt to look at this sweet face.  He was such a trooper during that time.  I remember that it seemed like he was allergic to everything.  We were always being reminded by your grandmother of things that he would have a reaction to if he ate it.  All I can remember is his being allergic to eggs, but I am sure that there were more things.

Famous sports Michaels – Michael Jordan in basketball and Michael Phelps in swimming.   I remember your Uncle Mike shooting hoops, just like Michael Jordan.  However, he was not your uncle’s favorite.  Magic Johnson was his “man” and I have to agree with him on this one.  The only thing better than Magic Johnson’s performance on the court is his performance off the court.  He is a true gentleman, both on the court and off.  His business enterprises are extremely successful and his is also a philanthropist and motivational speaker.   Uncle Mike picked a great sports hero in Magic Johnson.  Michael Phelps…what else can anyone say about this young man’s swimming accomplishments?  He has won fourteen Olympic gold metals, broken thirty-seven world records in swimming, and eight gold metals in a single Olympic.  Uncle Mike can swim, not Michael Phelps swim, but he can swim.  Aunt Charlotte tells the story of one time that Uncle Mike wanted to go swimming.  Only problem being that the swimming pool at the local park was locked for the night.  That did not stop him.  Somehow he was able to talk Aunt Char into climbing the fence and taking a midnight swim.  Another thing Uncle Mike has in common with Michale Phelps – they are were tall and lanky and had nicknames.  Michael Phelps was called “Gomer” in reference to “Gomer Pyle” a good natured, naive country boy.  Growing up we called Uncle Mike “Skeletor”, as he was so gosh, darn skinny.  He looked like all he had was his skin hanging on his bones.  Kind of a play on the character from He-Man.  You remember He-Man….one of your all time favorite cartoons.  Uncle Mike would eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound.   I was so jealous.  These two Michaels also had another thing in common, but that is a story for another day!  It involves “oregano”.

Then you have the fighter, Mike Tyson.  Mike Tyson has a temper and several of his assaults outside of the ring are well documented.  Your Uncle Mike had quite a temper growing up.  You could always tell when he was getting ready to let go of his anger.  His face would turn a bright red color, his body would stiffen, and his hands would start to ball up in a fist.  That was a giant clue for all of us to exit, stage right, get out of Dodge, make like a tree and leaf.  However, for some bizarre reason I felt that I could save us all by creeping up behind him and capture him in a giant bear hug.  What was I thinking????!!!  Lordy!  That was like waving a red flag in front of a bull!  He would start to struggle and I would hold on tight and be laughing.  Then I would realize that he was not laughing and I was in deep, deep trouble.  I could not let him get free or I would be in big trouble.  Not that I thought he would ever hit me – he was and still is one of the kindest, gentlest men I know, he would lay down his life for a loved one.  What I feared was that I would continue laughing, he would get angier, and I would laugh so hard at his frustration that I would pee my pants.  Nope, that would give me a nickname that I NEVER wanted to have.  So, what did I do?  I hung on for my dear life.  I remember having my arms and legs wrapped around him and we were on the ground. He was struggling so hard to get away and I was struggle so hard to make that not happen.  What was I thinking???

One of my favorite Michaels is Michael J. Fox.  Like your uncle, Michael J. Fox is a hard worker, compasionate and a dedicated father.  His compassion and dedication to his job is evident with the care he gives to all the disabled individuals he helps at the center.  He takes great joy and pride in his job and the work he is doing there.  And there is no one that can ever doubt the love and joy he has for being a father and the pride he has in his two sons.

So, for all of these reasons I decided that a rainbow to celebrate his birthday was appropriate.  Afterall, I wanted him to know that the was our “pot of gold” at the end of our rainbow.  Joy Rising!

Rainbow  Cupcakes

No real recipe for this one.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • red, yellow, green, and blue food color
  • your favorite frosting

Directions:

  1. Prepare one box of white cake mix.
  2. Once it is all mixed together divide it equally into four bowls.
  3. Into each bowl drop in three or four drops of one food color (you may need more to darken it to the color you desire).
  4. Place cupcake liners into your cupcake pan.
  5. In the bottom of each one place a tablespoon of red batter.
  6. Then add in spoonfuls of yellow batter, green batter and blue batter.   DO NOT MIX, keep the layers separate.  You do not need to add in equal amounts, although I did try to do so.
  7. Bake according to your cake mix directions.
  8. Once completely cooled, frost with your desired frosting.

Ta-da!

The best part, for me at least, was the presentation.  I placed the cupcake into an “unopened” tin can and put that tin can into a plastic, new and unused, paint can. Here is a picture of one cupcake inside of a tin can.  I could tell you how I did this, but why spoil the mystery???

I Got My Geek On……..My Flag is Flying High

Posted on by
1

Dearest Boo……….Happy Pi Day!  It’s true; I have gone to the Dark Side….I have gone to the Geek Society.  It was so much fun telling you “Happy Pi Day” and you had no idea.  Yeah!  I got one over my resident Geek.

And I even have my own Geek Code:

GO d-@ s:+ a++ C@ U---? P--? L? E? !W++@ !N* !o-- K--? w@ !O--- !M-- !V-- PS@ PE@ !Y !PGP- t@ !5 !X- !R- tv+@ b++@ DI++ !D-- !G e++>$ h->$ r@ z+

I have no idea what it really says, based on the questions I had to answer it probably means “One Giant Idiot”.  The code generator asked how good was my knowledge of Unix, Perl, Linux, Emacs, USENET Oracle, Kibo, and VMS.  Heck, most of those things I have never head of before in my entire life.  I was just pleased that I know what “Pi” means.  It ‘s the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle; approximately equal to 3.14159265358979323846.  Math, you say that word and my eyes glaze over, a giant knot grow in my stomach, and I am searching for food to help eliminate the pain.

What I can understand are Pi jokes.  And here are some for your laughing pleasure

  • Q:  What do you get when you cut a jack o’lantern by its diameter?
  • A:  Pumpkin Pi!
  • Q:  What do you get when you take green cheese and divide its circumference by its diameter?
  • A:  Moon Pi.
  • Q:  What do you get when you take the sun and divide its circumference by its diameter?
  • A:  Pi in the sky.
  • Mathematician:  “Pi r squared”
  • Baker:  “No pies are round, cakes are squared!”

Oh, gosh I kill me sometimes!  Okay, you may not think these are funny, but I know that your cousins Colton and Shea are “ROFL”.

National Pi Day has only been a “holiday” since March 11, 2009 – so, using my all knowing math skills – this is it’s second celebration.  When I was online “Googling” to find more information about Pi and why it is important to me here is some things that I did find interesting.

“Pi Day” was so designated to be March 14, as this is the birth day of Albert Einstein.  I found a website on BBC News explaining how we all use pi every day in our lives and why it is so important:

“Pi shows up everywhere. In mathematics, pi appears in many fundamental equations that have nothing to do with circles. In science, pi is inextricable from measuring everything from ocean waves to economic statistics.

Pi is found in the very measurements of the Great Pyramid at Giza. And if you divide the length of a river from source to mouth across a gently sloping plane by its direct length “as the crow flies”, you’ll find pi.

Pi also appears where you least expect it. Religious scholars point to the Old Testament which, when describing the measurements of Solomon’s Temple, implies that pi is only three. In the transcripts of the famed OJ Simpson trial, you can find arguments between the judge and an FBI agent about the actual value of pi.

For a time, Givenchy offered a men’s cologne emblazoned only with the symbol. Nobel Prize winner Wislawa Szymborska (Polish) wrote a poem about pi, and pop star Kate Bush sang 100 digits of pi on her album Aerial.

In this age of high-tech precision instruments, where we assure ourselves that perfection is attainable, pi is an ever-present, sometimes grating reminder that there are puzzles that can be solved and there are mysteries that, perhaps, can not.”

I also know that pi can mean “private investigator” and in my book the very best PI is

Hubba Bubba, Baby.

For me, the most important thing to know about pi is “You can’t spell “happiness” without “pi.”  So, for me pi is important, because it brings “happiness” into my life.   And how did I use pi today?  Why by making a pie and using pi be cut it into nice, even slices!   The best part?  Sharing it with you and your cousins, Kim, Stuart, Colton and Shea.  Joy Rising!

The Best Chocolate Cream Pie You Ever Ate

Prep  Time: 20 minutes

Cook  Time: 4 1/2  hours  (actual cook time is 30 minutes, the rest is cooling time)

Source: www.forkingdelicious.com

Ingredients:

  • 8 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 3 1/2 c half and half
  • 2/3 c sugar
  • 1/4 c cornstarch
  • 9 eggs,  divided into yolks and egg whites
  • 9 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 2/3 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Optional: 2 c heavy cream for topping  or use the egg whites to make a meringue
  • 3 T milk chocolate shavings for topping
  • 1 purchased oreo crumb pie crust or graham cracker pie crust

Directions:

  1. Heat half and half in a 4 qt saucepand over medium-high heat until it just begins to simmer.
  2. Remove pan from heat.
  3. While heating the half and half, in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until combined.
  4. Add the egg yolks to the sugar/cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth.
  5. Temper the half and half into the egg mixture.  When egg mixture ready drizzle in  the remaining half and half.  Whisk completely.  To temper means to add small amounts of the hot liquid into the eggs, slowly raising the temp of the egg mixture.  By doing this you will not “cook” the eggs, causing them to become scrambled eggs.
  6. Return the mixture to the saucepan, heat over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often, until bubbles rise to the surface and mixture is very thick (about five minutes).
  7. Remove pan from heat and add butter and chocolates in small batches, whisking until smooth.
  8. Stir in the vanilla.
  9. Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and strain chocolate mixture.  Do not skip this step! This will remove and “scrambled” egg pieces that are in the mixture.
  10. cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface to prevent “skin” from forming.
  11. Refrigerate until set, about four hours.
  12. Remove plastic wrap from the chocolate filling and, using a rubber spatula, stir mixture until smooth.
  13. Spoon mixture into reserved crust, forming a dome, and smooth surface with the spatula.
  14. Your choice of topping.  You can either whip the cream into stiff peaks and spread on top of pie.  Sprinkle on the milk chocolate shavings.  Or you can make a meringue using the egg whites, spread on top of pie, and broil until lightly brown.  Sprinkle on the milk chocolate shaving.

Here’s The Church…..Here’s the Steeple

Posted on by
1

Dearest Boo,  when you were a wee, tiny one you so enjoyed taking things apart, just to see what was inside.  I totally blame this on myself.  I was the one that introduced you to the nursery rhyme, “Here’s the Church”.  I was the one that insisted on teaching you how to do the hand part.  I was the one that showed you by cutting apple slices through the center horizontally will allow the stars to present themselves into a star shape.  I was the one that showed you a sand dollar and how, when you break it open, five little “bird” shells will fall out.  I am to blame on your passion for knowing what is inside.

When you were in grade school there was not one broken electrical appliance that you did not take apart, or at least try, to take apart to see what was inside.  You called them your “experiments”.  The last “experiment” that I remember was coming home to see you sitting calmly on the floor in the middle of our family room.  The entire carpet was covered with parts of a radio.  Perhaps I had a budding Thomas Edison on my hands?  No. You promised me that you would be able to put it back together.  After several days we both could tell that that was not going to happen, so then your promise turned into the statement that you would clean up your mess.  After several days I got a trash bag and threw all the parts, components, wires, whatever into the bag and out to the trash.  I guess I had a budding Oscar the Grouch living with me.

You next moved on to “potions”.  The counters in the kitchen and bathroom would be covered with your messes where you were experimenting on mixing on thing with another.  As a parent I learned to “pick my battles”.  On this one I felt that by my encouraging you to mix up “potions” this would increase your curiosity and joy when you got to high school and took your required chemistry class.  Perhaps I had a budding Madame Curie on my hands?  No.  I guess I had a budding Dr. Bunsen Honeydew living with me.

The good news is that through all your learning I learned to like to know what is inside of things, how is you mix A with B you will get C.  You may be wondering what in the world I am trying to say.  Well, the point of all of this is that I found this awesome idea on one of my favorite blogs (http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/2010/02/heart-cake-tutorial.html).  This young mother is just amazing in the projects that come out of her kitchen.

Your Aunt Charlotte’s birthday is today, Valentine’s Day, so I just knew that I had to try this for her.  This took me forever to try it.  And how dumb that was, as it is just a cake.  What is the harm that would come from it if I failed?  One of favorite women once said, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every expierence in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself. ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along'” (Elenor Roosevelt).  It took two tries all on my own, before Amanda had the tutorial on her website showing how she did what she did.  Finally, after two failed tries, we had success and that was only because I found the directions.

Here are the final cake box, the final cake and the second attempt’s “inners”.  Your Aunt Charlotte did call and said that she liked the cake and, without any hints on my part, knew what was inside.  So I am guessing it was a success.  I will have to try this again, just so that I can see the “inners” for my own self.

Here is the box

Too cute, right??

And here is the outside of the actual delivered birthday cake:

Four layers of delicious cake and yummy buttercream frosting.    Topped with strawberry cake crumbs.  Is your mouth watering yet?

And, finally, what you have been waiting for……..the “inners” of Practice Cake 2….

That’s right…………………it’s a heart “inner” cake!  Don’t look too close, as you will see that I clearly don’t know what a heart looks like.  Hopefully, I learned from this one and my actual cake’s heart was more pointed in the center.  I had a delivery service take it to your Aunt Charlotte at her work, just so that she would be surprised and not know who sent her this masterpiece.  But alas, I failed to tell the young man who was doing the delivery to take off the paper with the address as I feared Aunt Char would recognize my handwriting.  And she did……the jig was up.

And speaking of the poor delivery man………..I forced the remaining half of  the cake off onto him.  He must have thought that I was some kind of witch, like from “Hansel and Gretel”, as I was running around the house giving him any leftovers I could find.  The poor man could not get out the door fast enough!  On the plus side, all sweets are cleared out of our home, at least for today.  For directions on how this awesome cake is made please go here http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/2010/02/heart-cake-tutorial.html.

Bottom line, on this day of love, what most people need to learn in life is how to love people and use things instead of using people and loving things.  That is what I want you to remember, Boo.  It is not how much you do, but how much Love you put into the doing that matters (Mother Teresa).  This cake was filled with Love that you could see and Love that you could taste.  Joy Rising.